Time for wheels.... Need some advice

  • My 2006 TJ needs some new shoes. My tires still have tread but I'm looking to smooth out the ride a little bit.
    I've got 12.5 x 33's on Cragar steelies. I'm going to get on TireRack or some other web seller and just get 5 tires mounted and balanced. looking for rims and rubber. I want to get some lighter aluminum rims and tires that aren't as aggressive as my current treads.


    My question.... Should I stay with 15" rims? I assume I can get my bolt pattern on bigger rims. I want to stay with 33" x 12.5" or close to it if possible.... I'm not sure what to look for while shopping though. What offset do I need, and what tire sizes make the most sense.


    When I'm done, my current set is up for grabs... plenty of tread.


    Any and all input appreciated....


  • what do you want to do with the jeep?


    That is the question that needs to be answered before you can decide on both the rims and the tires.


    If you plan to wheel it, stay with your Cragar steelies.


    As to wheel size, for 33x12.5 tires, 15s are your best choice. The tires are more readily available and cheaper.

    ~ JD
    * WARNING - The above post may contain trace elements of biting sarcasm. Those with known sensitivities should avoid staring directly at it.

  • You can go to bigger rims and still have the 4.5x5 bolt pattern. The one thing I learned was that usually the bigger the diameter of the rim, the more expensive the tire even though the tire size doesn't change. The same 33x12.5 tires for a 15" rim are cheaper than for a 17" rim. Makes no sense to me because you're paying more $$ for less material in the sidewall. :shrug:


    When you do go to sell the old tires, hit me up. I need a spare and know a couple guys looking for the same size spares.

    Your life is made up of 2 dates and a dash... make the most of the dash!

  • I have a used set of bilstein shocks in the 4 sale section at a good price... just saying. For tires just about any at tire will be fine on the beach and have good road and snow traction. I would stay with 15" rims because of price and availability of tires.


    Fyi, al rims will only be a few pounds lighter then steel.

  • I've been pretty happy with falkens wild peak at's. They wear good and they are really smooth and good in the weather. I've got them on my street rims for the tj and my truck. I just got the falken at/3's for the jk wich I think are new design. Check out discount tire. It's also priced good on that site. As for rims. Extreme terrain has some good prices right now. I just picked up some of the mammoths for the jk. Most of the tire/rim deals I see are all slightly more expensive than what you can piece together if you can get a good deal on mounting at a local shop.

  • Michellin LTX are considered one of the very best sand / street tires. They dont look nearly as aggressive as a BFG AT, or even a Long trail tire.

    Nobody belongs anywhere, nobody exists on purpose, everybody's going to die. Have a beer.


    Jeeps Owned... 89YJ, 81CJ-8, 99XJ, 93XJ, 00WJ, 05LJ, 22Bronco Badlands !

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